Minors dig in to reach Munster Final

Tipperary qualified for the Munster Minor Camogie final after a deserved three-point victory over Cork at the County Camogie Grounds.

Tipperary 0-9

Cork 0-6

In doing so, the premier cubs got a measure of revenge for last year’s provincial final defeat against the same opposition, but not after been made work hard all the way by a very game Cork side.

A strong second-half performance with the aid of a strong breeze, and where they outscored the Lee-siders by four points to one was the difference in the end.

In what was a low-scoring game, both teams served up a highly entertaining and gripping encounter, despite the blustery conditions which at times made things difficult, with some great camogie played at times and some great scores hit by both teams, most noticeably by the home side in the first half, as they were playing against a very strong breeze.

The home side were fastest out of the blocks and were a point up after only seventeen seconds through Danielle Ryan. The Rebelettes were level within a minute through a Kate Fennessy free, but then Tipperary would take control scoring four unanswered points, with a Caoimhe Stakelum free sandwiched in between two superb scores from Lucy Purcell, both after splendid build-up play, the first after linking up well with Lucy Heffernan and Ava Bevans.

Stakelum then had a great chance to goal, but her shot flashed across the goal when she should have done better, and the ball was eventually cleared out for a 45, which fell short, falling to Ciara Shelly who had another great chance to goal but couldn’t finish with any conviction.

Caoimhe Stakelum would make amends in the eighteenth minute with a superb effort from a free, from out by the sideline from all of 50 metres to leave her side 0-5 to 0- 1 up.

However, this would be their last score of the half, as the away side slowly worked their way back into the game and would be level by the break, through scores from the very impressive Ava Fitzgerald, two from Lucy O’Connell and Kate Fennessy, all from play, as the sides went in at the break at 0-5 apiece, with the home side the happier having played against a very strong breeze in the first half.

The second half took a while to get going, but it was the Rebelettes who resumed the scoring in the 36th minute through a Rachel Roche effort from play, but this would be their last score as Tipperary got on top yet again, especially defensively.

Tipp would be level in the 41st minute with their first score in 23 minutes from the stick of Danielle Ryan. Two points in the space of a minute on the three quarter mark from Caoimhe Stakelum and Ryan had Tipp two ahead, 0-8 to 0-6.

The game would flow back and forth for the next fifteen minutes with both sides showing great heart and commitment, and with both defences well on top as both sets of forwards struggled to make any impact.

The final score of the game would be from Caoimhe Stakelum with a free in the first minute of added time to put her side three points up, and even though Cork pushed to get a levelling goal, they couldn’t find a way through a very resolute Tipperary back-line, and the Premier County held out for a three-point victory and a place in the Munster Final against Waterford, scheduled for the weekend of 17-18 February.

Best for the Premier County were Ellie Franklin, Lucy Purcell, Ava Bevans, Caoimhe Stakelum, and Danielle Ryan, the latter who unfortunately went off injured late on and manager John Ryan will be hoping it’s not too serious as she will be a huge loss if not available for the Munster Final.

Centre back Sarah Corcoran also read the game brilliantly throughout and was constantly in the right place at the right time to break up countless number of Cork attacks where Sinead Hurley, Laura Dunlea, Kate Fennessy and Lucy O’Connell were their best.

TEAMS – Tipperary: Danielle Butler (Eire Og Annacarty 6); Paula Quirke (Boherlahan-Dualla 7), Aoife Mellerick (Newport/Ballinahinch 7), Ellie Franklin (Moyle Rovers 8), Eabha Dolan (Moyle Rovers 7), Sarah Corcoran (Moycarkey/Borris 9), Caitlyn Treacy (Moneygall 6), Lucy Heffernan (Eire Og Annacarty 6), Ava Wall (Moyle Rovers 6), Lucy Purcell (Thurles Sarsfields 8), Danielle Ryan (Eire Og Annacarty 8), Emer Dwan (Cashel King Cormacs 6), Ava Bevans (Borris-Ileigh 7), Caoimhe Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields 7), Ciara Shelly (Moycarkey/Borris 6).

Subs: Ava Gaynor (Kilruane MacDonaghs 6) for Wall (HT), Nicola Kelly (Shannon Rovers 6) for Dwan (53); Elana McGrath (Holycross/Ballycahill NR) for Heffernan (59); Leanna Coppinger (Thurles Sarsfields NR) for Ryan (60+3 inj).

Cork: Emma O’Sullivan (6); Blaithin O’Connor (6), Sinead Hurley (7), Saoirse Cunningham (7); Orlaith Cremin (6), Laura Dunlea (8), Keeley Goulding (7); Ava Fitzgerald (9), Rachael Roche (7); Ava McAuliffe (6), Kate Fennessy (7), Amy Sheppard (6); Lucy O’Connell (8), Rachael Murphy (6), Ailis Scanlon (6).

Subs: Louise O’Neill (7) for Murphy (25); Kate McCarthy (6) for Sheppard (38); Amy O’Riordan (6) for Roche (50); Sarah Murphy (6) for Scanlon (53).

Referee: Philip Dee (Limerick).